The front tyre is going to be tricky as classic racing tyres mostly use 19” rims apart from the 125s which tend to be too skinny.
Sleeping on it im thinking the best option would be to cerakote the hubs black....it would be the most hardiest of coatings and its going to be difficult to get in there and clean...
Thinking aloud... Black would show the dirt most and if your quest is to keep it as original as possible, black may not be the best choice.. However, I'm pretty sure cerakote has a finish that looks very much like polished alloy
Yeah - he does have a load of titanium left (which he coated my hypermotard engine with) - i did think that too....the reason i thought black was with the stainless spokes and brushed alloy rims it might set it off a bit.... Whatever colour it is, the cerakote should be easy to clean with SDOC100 that kind of thing - not like a bare alloy which needs actual polishing....
Clearcoat over the polished or , more accurately, brushed aluminium was the OEM finish I believe Same as the fork lowers here
Hand finished with scotchbrite in one direction after sanding out the nicks. Takes a couple of hours per leg
Ah - not worried about the fork legs...theyre in pretty good nick, polished and easy to get to/just buff up with some autosol... its the hubs...just to reiterate (tell myself) this is going to be dry sunny weather only use...
Would be similar for the hubs , maybe less as a lap mop on a bench grinder will probably work. Then direct to metal wash primer followed by clearcoat. No more polishing , just wash and go
Ok- so, ive not done this before....either a shopping list of tools/stuff to get or, find a service to do the job for me (its gotta be right) as the hubs are never really going to be in this stripped down state again....
Any wheel builders will offer the service eg https://www.jrswheels.co.uk/ You can do it all by hand , so sandpaper and scotchbrite is all that’s really needed , plus paint and paint guns or rattle cans I have a 6inch bench grinder with polishing attachments and use scotchbrite lapmops of various grades to clean up parts , it also puts a pretty nice finish although it’s better to finish off by hand
Ok....not sure im that confident....usually anythng with me that involves paint ultimately falls off in the end...
Just watching a you tube video now - ive got a bench mounted grinder in the garage stored away - its got guards round it but i might be able to strip it down and get a scotchbrite wheel on it...
Rather than sitting around talking about it im now in the garage..... Had some small plastic scouring wheels for the dremmel......so making a start ive trashed 4 wheels and got under half the surface of the hub looking remotely tidy....just a question - do you go through them that fast? Also - my grinder looks like it can take a 6" scotchbrite wheel which seems to me to be more productive... Also ive got some small brass dremmel bits....too harsh or no?
Dremel wheels don’t last 5 minutes with that sort of use CS, tiny surface area and big revs, much better to get wheels for you bench grinder. Try the brass wheels on a small area but they won’t last long and will probably scratch.
I did try the brass wheels on the centre no they dont scratch but, as you say small surface area so ive not bothered any more....just ordered a burgundy coloured 6" wheel for the big grinder....
My first time scotchbriting....need more wheels but initially pleased with the initial coarse wheel...
The brass strands all fall out and get in your clothes too. So when you use them, make sure you brush up the floor before you kneel down, as these are instant brass splinters & literally a pain...
Thanks Jez - not gonna use the brass - too abrasive...tried it on a small part of the larger hub.....scotchbrite seems to be the way forward....looking for different wheels now...
www.thepolishingshop.co.uk Look at satin mops, basically scotchbrite wheels in different grades and diameters that fit on A taper adaptor for drills or grinders. These are 8 inch, think they were about £3 each. Very quick and easy for cleaning ally.
